AMC Networks said advertisers will be able to buy commercials programmatically on three of its linear cable networks.
L’Oreal, working with its media agency Omnicom Media Group, was the first national advertiser to buy ads on AMC’s networks programmatically as part of a pilot program in September. AMC also tested its programmatic capabilities by running promo campaigns for shows including The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon and its FearFest holiday programming stunt.
Beginning this month, programmatic buying is live and fully operational across all programming on AMC, WE tv and BBC America, AMC said.
Working with technology partners FreeWheel, The Trade Desk and Canoe Ventures, advertisers can purchase advertising in the kind of real-time biddable environment familiar to buyers of digital advertising, including over-the-top and connected TV advertising.
The innovation enables advertisers to purchase linear and digital ad inventory as a single campaign using their programmatic buying platforms, which might mean some digital advertisers will now be able to buy and reach linear audiences, AMC said.
It also allows advertisers to better manage reach and frequency across video channels.
“Programmatic buying offers enhanced targeting, greater efficiency and has been the preferred way to transact on digital platforms for years, but until now has never been possible for national linear television commercials,” Evan Adlman, executive VP of commercial sales and revenue operations for AMC Networks, said. “During this pilot, we were able to deliver seven distinct creative executions to viewers simultaneously as part of the same national linear commercial slot, through a real-time biddable process. This is a huge advance for us and for the industry and, like our pioneering efforts in addressable advertising, makes our inventory even more valuable.”
AMC sells commercial inventory on its streaming networks via programmatic technology and has been a leader in addressable advertising, selling addressable spots in every hour of its live linear and VOD inventory on AMC, WE tv and BBC America.
Two years ago, AMC made some linear ad inventory available for programmatic sale by The Trade Desk and another big supply-side platform, Magnite. The inventory was limited to impressions delivered to Vizio sets as part of a test, the company said.
“We were excited to be the first brand to pilot this important advancement in how TV advertising is purchased, which aligns well with our interest in automation and efficiency and being able to buy all forms of inventory together as part of the same process. AMC Networks, The Trade Desk and FreeWheel were great partners and we look forward to being part of the continuing future of programmatic ad buying on linear television,” Shenan Reed, senior VP and head of media at L’Oréal USA, said.
As viewers cut the cord and turn to streaming, traditional programmers are looking for new ways to compete with digital advertising.
“This innovation brings together two extremely timely advertising technologies to help advertisers reach and engage with current and prospective audiences: programmatic ad buying and addressable TV advertising,” Mark McKee, general manager of FreeWheel, said. “The first gives advertisers greater control, automation and efficiency in the overall TV ad-buying process, and when layering this with addressable TV advertising, the result is advertising that reaches the right target consumer within an enhanced and enriching viewer experience.”
“The business of buying TV ads is being rewritten, and right now is the moment the industry needs to fully embrace programmatic advertising,” Tim Sims, chief revenue officer at The Trade Desk, added. “This integration brings the power of data-driven decisioning to linear ad buys, while giving brands and agencies the insight to build even more sophisticated, omnichannel campaigns. It’s a major win for both publishers and buyers.”
